It seems like great news that states are banning interview questions about salary history — but it still doesn’t mean you’ll get paid what you’re worth

As of January 2018, employers in California can no longer ask job candidates for their salary histories.

But removing this question doesn't guarantee that employees will be offered their worth.

It's still crucial to advocate for yourself and negotiate for the best compensation package possible.

Lawmakers in California have just joined several other states in passing a bill that prevents public and private employers from asking for your salary history.

It seems like great news on the surface, but there's a danger in you getting too comfortable going into the interview thinking they can't lowball you.

There are several important points you still need to negotiate in addition to salary, in order to make sure your total compensation accurately reflects what you're worth.

Adopt the right mindset from the start.

It can feel like a relief to get a job offer — the most gratifying end to what can often be a long and winding search. So, when you finally hear those magic words from an employer, the strong temptation can be to not look a gift horse in the mouth. But that's the wrong thought process.

A job is not a gift that you are so fortunate to receive. This is business, and a job is a business agreement. You are providing your labor and expertise for a fee — it is expected that you will negotiate that fee to your maximum advantage.

In 100% of scenarios, negotiate.

Most candidates don't negotiate at all, or they negotiate barely enough to be able to feel satisfied within themselves. The reason for this is primarily fear — fear of setting expectations that are too high, fear of appearing greedy, fear of not looking like you care about the organization, and the big one: Fear that they will rescind the offer.

Rescission almost never happens. The only way it could is if the candidate is being clearly unrealistic. For example, if the offer is $100K and the candidate's counter-offer is $200K, that's not typically within the realm of negotiation (for salary or anything else being bought and sold). The only other scenario in which the employer may rescind an offer is if something significantly negative suddenly occurs in the organization, and they decide not to fill your position (the negotiators may be struggling to hold onto their own positions, in that case.)

Negotiate every time. Even if they offer you a number that is exactly, or above what you want — and your heart is bursting with joy on the inside — negotiate.

Here are some elements to keep in mind so that you can effectively ask for — and receive — what you want.

Know the ground rules & the extras.

Salary does not equal total compensation. There are several key additional benefits you can request from your employer to constitute the total package that will provide you with the work/life balance you need.

Signing bonus: This is a clear indicator of just how incentivized the employer is to bring you on board, particularly if you're a competitive candidate with specialized skills and experience. Additionally, you can negotiate a signing bonus if other employers are competing for you.

Interim performance bonus: If the standard review occurs annually, negotiate a performance review and percentage bonus at a shorter time interval, such as three or six months. Ensure you've asked the question regarding what the expectations for your new role will be in that interim, and ensure you are well-compensated when you deliver on those objectives.

Administrative support: A quality executive assistant can make all the difference in you spending the lion's share of your time mired in the details of busywork, or focusing on delivering your valuable expertise. If the level of your new position wouldn't normally call for an executive assistant in this particular organization, communicate how such support will increase the impact you can deliver — and shorten the runway time. Note: It's not up to you to negotiate the assistant's salary. Allow the employer to hire that person and handle the compensation discussion without your involvement.

Convention-related comp time: Comp-time could give you breathing room after you travel to participate in a professional conference in your industry, and truly affect work/life balance. You're likely to be more productive if you have a paid day to recuperate, let your new knowledge sink in, then return to work hitting the ground running.

Wellness days: Asking for additional days off might seem obvious, but it's important to factor in wellness days for you to engage in self-care. Maybe this sounds "kumbaya" to you, like you're asking for a day to breathe in incense and study the clouds, but a wellness day is a legitimate need. It's important to have the ability to recharge without the mental pressure of knowing you're using a sick day or vacation time.

The salary-related employment law in California and other states notwithstanding, companies generally expect — and respect — candidates who negotiate. Just because they can't ask you for your prior salary, doesn't mean they get to state the salary range and that's it.

Confidently ask for what you want and provide professional reasons that support your requests. As your negotiations progress over a series of rounds back and forth, write down the details. And before you accept the offer, make sure you see what you've agreed on in your negotiations in writing.

Jewel Bracy DeMaio is a professional job search coach and resume writer.